Boy Scouts badge voluntarily recalled for lead

Up to 1.6 million affected; plastic totem badges usually given to Cub Scouts

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updated 7:45 p.m. ET Oct. 4, 2007

DALLAS - The Boy Scouts of America said Thursday that a painted, plastic badge commonly worn by some of its youngest scouts is being voluntary recalled after a test revealed high levels of lead in the paint.

As many as 1.6 million of the badges, which are made in China, may be affected by the recall.

"We're doing everything we can," Boy Scouts spokesman Gregg Shields said.

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The plastic totem badge is given to Cub Scouts, who are usually between the ages of 7 and 8. The badge has a yellow and blue border, includes a picture of a bear and wolf and reads "Progress Toward Ranks."

No illnesses have been reported, Shields said.

The unacceptable amounts of lead were discovered during a testing of Boy Scouts products, Shields said. He did not know the level of lead the test revealed.

The badges are supplied by Kahoot Products Inc., based in Roswell, Ga. The company is calling for a voluntary recall of the badge and asking parents to take them away from their children.

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A phone message left with the company Thursday was not immediately returned.

Kahoot has supplied the badge to the Boy Scouts, based in Irving, Texas, for about eight years, Shields said. About 20,000 kits containing the badges have been sold each year since, he said.